Land Surveying Units
Chains, Rods, y Modern Measurements
Learn Survey UnitsProperty deeds y land descriptions often usar surveying terms like "chains," "rods," y "sections" eso date back centuries. Understanding estos unidades helps interpret property documents, entender land surveys, y convertir entre historical y modern area measurements.
Gunter's Chain System
Edmund Gunter invented el/la surveyor's chain in 1620, creating un/una sistema eso elegantly links linear y area measurements:
| Unidad | Feet | Meters | Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link | 0.66 | 0.201 | 1/100 chain |
| Rod (pole/perch) | 16.5 | 5.029 | 25 links = ¼ chain |
| Chain | 66 | 20.117 | 4 rods = 100 links |
| Furlong | 660 | 201.17 | 10 chains |
| Mile | 5,280 | 1,609 | 80 chains |
Area Units desde el/la Chain System
| Unidad | Square Feet | Square Meters | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square link | 0.4356 | 0.0405 | 0.00001 |
| Square rod | 272.25 | 25.29 | 0.00625 |
| Rood (¼ acre) | 10,890 | 1,012 | 0.25 |
| Square chain | 4,356 | 404.7 | 0.1 |
| Acre | 43,560 | 4,047 | 1 |
| Section | 27,878,400 | 2,590,000 | 640 |
El/La Acre Relationship
Un/Una acre fue defined as 1 chain × 10 chains (66 ft × 660 ft = 43,560 sq ft). This made calculos simple: count square chains y divide by 10 un/una obtener acres.
US Public Land Survey System
El/La PLSS, established in 1785, divided public lands usando un/una hierarchical sistema:
| Division | Size | Acres | Hectares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Township | 6 mi × 6 mi | 23,040 | 9,324 |
| Section | 1 mi × 1 mi | 640 | 259 |
| Half section | ½ mi × 1 mi | 320 | 130 |
| Quarter section | ½ mi × ½ mi | 160 | 65 |
| Quarter-quarter | ¼ mi × ¼ mi | 40 | 16 |
This sistema still defines property boundaries across la mayoria of el/la western United States.
Metes y Bounds
Older property descriptions (especially in el/la eastern US) usar metes y bounds—directions y distances desde referencia points:
Common Terms
- Metes: Measurements (distances)
- Bounds: Boundaries (natural o artificial features)
- POB: Point of Beginning
- Thence: Desde eso point
Ejemplo Descripcion
"Beginning at el/la antiguo oak tree on Miller Road, thence N 45° E 10 chains un/una un/una stone marker, thence S 45° E 15 chains un/una Smith Creek..."
Modern Survey Units
Metric System
Modern surveying increasingly uses metric unidades:
- Distances: Meters (m)
- Area: Square metros (m²) o hectares (ha)
- Coordinates: UTM o latitude/longitude
GPS y GIS
Modern surveying uses:
- GPS: Centimeter accuracy possible
- GIS: Geographic Information Systems for mapping
- Coordinates: Decimal degrees o UTM
Despite modern technology, legal descriptions often still referencia historical unidades.
Converting Survey Units
| Desde | Un/Una Feet | Un/Una Meters | Un/Una Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 chain | 66 | 20.117 | — |
| 1 rod | 16.5 | 5.029 | — |
| 1 square chain | 4,356 sq ft | 404.7 sq m | 0.1 |
| 1 square rod | 272.25 sq ft | 25.29 sq m | 0.00625 |
| 1 rood | 10,890 sq ft | 1,012 sq m | 0.25 |
| 1 section | 27,878,400 sq ft | 2,590,000 sq m | 640 |
Conclusion
Land surveying uses un/una mix of historical y modern unidades. El/La chain-based sistema (donde 10 square chains = 1 acre) underlies muchos property descriptions still in usar. El/La US Public Land Survey System divides land into townships y sections. Understanding estos unidades helps interpret property deeds, legal descriptions, y historical documents—even as GPS y metric unidades become mas comun.